Show BELLE HARRIS It ia not to be questioned that a Court has the right to enforce its own rules and maintain its own dignity there may however be some diversity of opinion as to the manner of and extent to which this power is exercised There are different dif-ferent ways by means of which a Court can assert ita superiority and onforce its rights aud these methods meth-ods are supposed to be regulated to suit the different cases as they occur A man who wilfully and deliberately deliber-ately defies judicial authority for personal or other interest when the matter is a coaeern of great importance import-ance or the welfare of the people largely involved is for instance a greater offender than a weak woman who considers her personal rights invaded and declines to answer what she considers impertinent questions This latter is the case of the subject of this article It is not to be denied that in the matter of the contempt ef Belle Harris the lady has been visited with the extreme penalty of the court It may be said that the District Dis-trict Court which pronounced the I punishment and the Supreme Court which affirmed the punishment punish-ment have gone to the very limit of the law In making an example of this witness they are doubtless within the scope of their power and functions but the question naturally natur-ally arisescould they not have done less and accomplished as much and if so is there not a trace of malice or indication of some latent policy cropping out all around the whole proceedings P It really looks to the casual observer as though not offended dignity but the consummation con-summation of a purpose notpun ishment for contumacy but terrifying terrify-ing a women into subjection were the objects aimed at and whether mistaken in such conclusions or not it is safe to say that while the Supreme Court has affirmed the judgment of the District Court the people at large do not affirm the judgment of the Supreme Court Quite otherwise = |